Climate talks: Natarajan says demand for legally binding treaty misplaced

As the high-level segment of the climate change talks kicked off,Natarajan stressed that she is looking for more reassurances from the developed world.

“I have come to Durban with an open mind,” Natarajan said in response to the demand for a new legally-binding treaty being raised here by the European Union,Japan and other parties.

“But I would like to know whether it would be binding only for mitigation and whether it will be same for Annex-1 (developed) and non-Annex-1 countries (developing),” she added.

Natarajan,who is spearheading India’s efforts at the climate conference,said New Delhi needed the fulfilment of “fundamental imperatives” before it would consider being part of a legally-binding treaty.

“We seek but we do not have answers to these,” she said.

These “fundamental imperatives” include rapid action by developed countries on carbon emissions reduction,finance and technology as well as addressing India’s concern of intellectual property rights,unilateral trade measures and equity.

Natarajan said,“The recent announcement by EU to impose unilaterally carbon tax on civil aviation emissions under their Emissions Trading Scheme is a clear reminder of such measures”.

“These actions are disguised trade actions taken in the name of climate,” she said.

The minister also stressed that a legally binding treaty was not the only solution for the climate talks,which is being attended by 194 countries.